Bus-related crime in London falls to a six year low after introduction of area Hub Teams

Bus-related crime across the capital fell by 18 per cent in the first year of Boris Johnson’s administration, and has fallen by a further 10.5 per cent in a ten month period taking the figures to a six year low.

Dedicated to patrolling transport hubs in specified areas, the Mayor introduced 32 transport Hub Teams last year, including a team serving Harrow Bus Station and Harrow-on-the-Hill tube station, to increase visibility of policing on the transport network.

By the end of the last financial year, bus-related crimes in London had fallen to 12 crimes per million passenger journeys which was then at a five year low. Most recent figures show that recorded bus-related crimes across London, from April 2009 to January 2010, dropped to 20,478 compared with 22,875 from the same time period the year before, or by 10.5 per cent.

The Mayor confirmed the figures today as he visited Harrow’s Safer Transport team a year on from launching the area’s Hub Team last March. Boris spent time with Harrow’s officers on patrol to see for himself how effective the teams are in cutting crime on public transport. He was on his way to Harrow school, where he hosted his fourth People's Question Time event this evening. Congratulating the Harrow Hub Team he said:

“When I became Mayor, I pledged to make buses, trains and stations safer.  I was in Harrow to open a transport hub team last year and I am delighted to see the positive effect these policing teams are having here and across the capital. Crime on buses has fallen in every single borough and this is in no small part thanks to the increased number of officers around our transport network.

 “We know that the visible presence of officers has a great influence on the reduction of crime and anti social behaviour, and reassures commuters and local residents. I heartily congratulate Harrow’s teams for the great strides they are making.”

Harrow’s bus-related crime figures fell by 9 per cent in Boris’s first year, and have fallen by a further 2.7 per cent since (April 2009 to Jan 2010 figures). In bus terms, with just over one crime per day in the borough, Harrow now accounts for only 1.8 per cent of London’s overall bus-related crime making it a low crime area.

It is also a year since Boris Johnson called on Londoners to boost the numbers of Met Police Special Constables to help make the capital’s streets safer. Harrow has seen a 17 per cent increase in the last financial year (2009/2010), and now has 68 active Specials, with six officers permanently assigned to the Harrow on the Hill transport Hub Team.

Work has also started on a new police base which will be situated in central Harrow. The base, which has been funded by Harrow Council, will act as a drop in centre for patrolling officers, enhancing visibility and helping to reduce crime.

After spending time with members of Harrow’s Safer Transport Team Boris joined a packed audience of Londoners at Harrow School for the People’s Question Time event where he answered a range of questions on issues including transport and policing.

Notes to Editors:

Overall crime figures:
-       Total offences for the financial year to date are at their lowest level for at least ten years. http://www.met.police.uk/crimefigures/index.php

 Transport:

- The Hub Teams are jointly funded by Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 - In 2008/9 bus-related crime across the capital went down by 18 per cent, to its lowest level for five years and with just 12 crimes per million passenger journeys.

 - Since then (between April 2009 and January 2010) bus-related crime across the capital has continued to go down, dropping by 10.5 per cent in comparison to the same period last year. There were 20,478 crimes recorded over the ten month period compared to 22,875 the year before.

Harrow’s transport system is primarily policed by the:

- MPS Harrow Safer Transport Team including Harrow on the Hill Hub Team (Hub team was launched on 27th March 2009).

- British Transport Police Neighbourhood Policing Team – Harrow on the Hill (BTP Neighbourhood Policing Team was launched in July 2008).

- Official MPS figures for bus-related crime in Harrow between April and January (2009/2010) are 2.7 per cent lower than the same ten month period in the previous year. There were 366 crimes recorded over the ten month period.

- London-wide, Harrow accounted for only 1.8 per cent of total bus crime recorded between April and January of 2009/10 and remains an extremely low crime area in transport terms.  This represents just over one crime per day. 

- This represents a longer term trend as from 2007/08 to 2008/09 bus-related crime in Harrow went down by 9 per cent (from 504 incidents to 457). Both the Safer Transport Team, including the Hub Team, and the BTP Neighbourhood Policing Teams were launched in this time period.

 Harrow Safer Transport Team (STT):
 
- The size of the STT has been increased to 27 officers (originally 21 officers) as part of the rollout of an additional 440 officers on bus network.

- The Hub team was launched on 27th March 2009 and includes an additional sergeant, one police constable and seven PCSOs.

- Harrow now has 68 active Police Specials (financial year 2009/10), ten more than last year (2008/09), which is an increase of 17 per cent. Currently there are six specials assigned permanently on the Hub/STT teams.

- Police Specials are either Employer Supported (recruited to the MSC with the support of their employer to work two shifts a month in company time) or as MSC Officers (members of the public who assist the police in their own time).

People's Question Time:

- People’s Question Time is a free public event.

- People's Question Time is part of an on-going programme of consultation with Londoners.

- This is the fourth statutory People's Question Time meeting since the Mayor and Assembly were elected in May 2008.

- A full transcript of the meeting can be downloaded from the GLA website at: www.london.gov.uk

- LBC Radio is the media partner for this event.  A podcast of the event can be downloaded from the LBC Radio website: www.lbc.co.uk

- Further information about the event can be found on the Greater London Authority website at: www.london.gov.uk